The present invention relates to a semiconductor component having at least two semiconductor chips which are integrated in a housing.
EP 0 827 201 A2 describes a semiconductor component in which three chips are integrated in a housing, two of the chips being arranged at a distance from one another on contact areas of the further chip, which is seated on a carrier. In this case, contact connections of the three chips are bonded by means of bonding wires to connection legs which project from the housing. The connection legs are bent downward and reach right underneath the housing in order to be able to mount the component on a circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,626 and US 2001/0044167 describe semiconductor components each having a semiconductor chip integrated in a housing, contact areas of said chip being connected to connection legs projecting from the housing by means of so-called contact clips.
EP 0 962 975 A2 and JP 2000082721 A likewise describe semiconductor components each having a semiconductor chip which is integrated in a housing and with whose contact areas contact is made by means of contact clips, the contact clips projecting from the housing and simultaneously serving as connection legs.
Making contact with chip connections by means of bonding wires connected at the other end to connection legs of the housing is costly in terms of space since a certain housing height for the bonding wires running in arcuate fashion is necessary above the chip, which has the effect that a not inconsiderable part of the housing volume remains largely unutilized except for the bonding wires.